Paradise Found (Flora)

[Victor Von Doomstein]

When she started talking about how she wished to fly on her Swablu, the temptation was still mounting onto him. It seemed almost too obvious, but the rationalization of the prevention from walking miles and miles was also tempting. He realized then that sounds like a smart enough idea, and nodded back. "Yes, that'd be nice. I don't really have any Pokemon capable of flight, unless.." He looked to Lexus, who he had passed by now. "Well, I hear Volcaronas can fly. But Lexus isn't even the type to battle." At this point, he realized he was drifting toward her, and slowly swam somewhat near her, hand on one of the edges.

"Erm, do you mind if I hang here now? Sorry, I didn't quite realize I was.. moving." If an outside observer could see, it looked like he was intentionally drifting to her direction. This was most likely true. At this point, Garci dropped off any apprehensions about her being overweight and didn't really care anymore. In fact, he just ended up thinking she was cute. He looked to be a little more silent, just looking at her. Tension was starting to dig into his mindset. This is, of course, until he started to speak again. Of course.

It came out as awkward, but he continued on anyway. "How long are you planning to stay at the spa? Honestly, I just recently checked in at the bath house. When I was hearing about the spa, I heard something about things like body-care staff working there too. It sounds like a nice amenity to go along with resting at the springs." With his right hand, he punched into his back softly. "And, as stressful as I described this journey, I could use more relaxation than hot springs."

[Prince Pony Age]

Shrugging, Soleh pointed out, "I 'magine they can, huh? But nah, if she's unlikely to evolve, you could just catch a flyin' Pokemon, eh?" When he pointed out his movement, she shrugged again and said, "Nah, 'course not. 'Snot like me gettin' in made this parta the water off-limits or anything."

He didn't really say anything for a bit, and just...looked at her. She wasn't sure if he was waiting for her to say somehting or--oh god, he's thinking about how she's totally fat, isn't he. Technically that was rather ironic, what with him just now deciding that this was a non-issue, but of course she couldn't know that and instead was worrying about it--though keeping a now rather uneasy smile on her face--until he spoke up.

"Well, um, prolly a day or so more? There totally are people and Pokemon who do that like you heard--they're pretty nice. Um, you prob'ly wouldn't caremuch for some of them like the mani- and pedicure stuff-- she took one hand out of the water and held it in front of her, showing her red-orange nails, "--but, yeah, they also have massages which're pretty great. People, 'n' Pokemon too. Like, obviously Fighting types are strong, but they're also good at this, I guess! So yeah, you should totally take advantage of that."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

"Of course, I will. I don't think I would allow a Pokemon to try and massage my back out of worry, but if they're trained and naturals at the art, then I suppose I could allow them." Garci also heard saying how much longer she'd stay. Only a day or so more? He just got here, though. Would he seriously consider cutting his stay off early just because she's going n- no, he definitely wouldn't. That would be silly. ..Unless he was convinced otherwise. "It's good to hear that they have areas for grooming and everything. It's always good to look presentable."

He was totally unaware of her worrying about him thinking about her weight, and kept a smile on his face while looking at her. It was something far off, but was he actually starting to find her attractive? The weak-willed grip on grammar, the fact that she was in the shadow of a famous gym leader, and the social ideas on overweight people? Clearly there was something wrong with him. It must be the heat in the spa. He managed to hide any signs of conflict, and decided to ask, "A massage would be perfect for later, hm. While we're here, do you want to talk about anything else? If you can't really think of any other subjects, that's perfectly fine. I.. I mean, I know you came here to talk, but we could just relax here for a while." His voice faltered somewhat. The sentence describing him prior seemed to be irrelevant now, as he couldn't, for some reason, stop thinking about whether or not to cut off his stay early just because she was leaving within a day.

[Prince Pony Age]

Soleh nodded. "I's wary at first, too, but they're awesome. Course you could still have people do it if y'want." To his second bit, she merely nodded and added, "Yup."

Another silence, but this time it seemed a bit more comfortable, as this time he didn't seem to be staring at her, anyway. It was broken again, but that was cool too. "Hm. If y'don't mind, I'd--I'd like to hear about those Shinies." It.. wasn't her favorite idea of what to talk about, and they could've fallen back into silence, but it had been at the back of her mind since he said that, and she had to know. "Like, where you saw'm an' stuff. Or I guess just your Pokemon in general, like if you've got a theme or somethin cool like that, right? Like me, despite bein' in my sister's shadow an' stuff, I've always liked Fire types anyway, or fire-colored Pokemon like Mienfoo. Oh an' dragons too. But yeah point here was if'n you have somethin' like that or not?" While she wasn't particularly talking quickly in that, she didn't really pause while saying all that either, making it night impossible to stop her without interrupting. She only realized this when she was done, though, and added, "Oh... Guess I should ac'chully letcha talk, huh."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He tilted his head in thought. "It seems that I have a sort of penchant for Electric and Steel type Pokemon. You see, I've encountered several shinies before. Lexus, my Shiny Pawniard, Bellator, and I, were traveling through the old Clock Tower. Something about that seemed.. interesting, seeing as it stopped sometime during the rebellion's establishment. They say that it stopped because Loyalists are no longer in power, and that things had been wrong. Of course, I didn't really believe that. .. Well, I'm losing my point, here." He rambled on, but he had forgotten the point.

"There, I encountered several unique Pokemon. First, we had a bout with a massive Klinklang. He had to have been two times the size of a regular one, and, through a rigorous battle, I managed to capture him. Then, there was an albino Minun I captured. He was a twin of a sister Plusle, and the two of them were watched over by a Pikachu. Some trials through the clock tower later, and they were convinced to join us. When we were walking to the basement, there was an albino Eevee that we managed to catch up to and capture, as well. We had also encountered a Shiny Emolga."

He took this moment to reflect. "..I.. I guess I must have extraordinary and unreasonable amounts of luck." He scooted closer to her, using the need for closeness to communicate more properly as an excuse. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting it. That day was.. well, quite successful." He rubbed his neck awkwardly, and looked back at her, trying not to stare but instead give an amiable, if not admiring, smile.

[Prince Pony Age]

Soleh simply nodded and said, "I see..." at most of what he said. She almost chuckled a little at how he seemed to be dramatizing what happened at the clocktower. It may well have happened like he said, but still, something baout how he talked just seemed like he was telling an epic tale of heroism triumphing over evil, or something, rather than "I met a bunch of really cool Pokemon, and managed to catch them too."

She did have to agree with his final statement, especially since he'd apparently caught all these interestingly colored Pokemon in one spot, during the same visit. "Sounds like you do. I mean, dayyumn. ..Though it sounds like that's more luck th'n conscious choice on the typing--well, that 'n' that you only seem to've caught Pokemon at the clocktoweryplace. So yeah, guess I'm wonderin' if you're gonna continue gatherin' those types, or like, or expand 'n' fill out your type-list. ...Come t'think I really ought to catch more Pokemon too, I haven't really thought to while I've been here though. Huh. ..B'yeah I was askin' 'bout yer plans 'n'all."

Oblivious Soleh was still oblivious.

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He tilted his head, at first not understand what she was trying to say. Was she meaning what he was planning to do later on, after the spa visit? What he was going to do pertaining to Pokemon? "Wait, what?" A moment later, he suddenly realized what she was intending to say. "Oh, wait, I get it. Well, I'm not absolutely sure. As much as I do genuinely like Steel types and the sort of elegance associated with them, I should most likely take care and go for different types. Expand, like you said."

He looked off into the distance, mulling things over. "I don't think I'd go out and look specifically for Ghost types, though." His eyes looked worried, afraid of meeting that species of Pokemon again. "There's sort of a.. shaky history I've had with Ghost Pokemon." Of course he wasn't going to go back into remembering Zafiro. The divine forces that control him had referred to him several times. "Hm.." He shut his eyes and pointed his head to the air, sitting deeply in the spring. Of course he didn't seem to audibly ask for conversation, but his relaxed silence seemed to.

[Prince Pony Age]

Whether or not he'd been asking for conversation, Soleh'd be all too happy to provide it. Indeed, unless someone outright said 'please stop talking,' it was unlikely she would. "Yeh, that's prob'ly smart. I'm picky myself so to expand I gotta get Pokemon like Mienfoo that fit my colorscheme and all, heh. Oh 'n' I know 'bout Ghost types. Like, the one time I went to Mount Pyre lookin' for a Vulpix, just couldn't 'cause the ghosts there were just so...Hnhnhn..." The last part was a nervous laugh as she remembered being scared by the ghosts there.

Of course he didn't like ghosts because they were creepy, I mean why else is there to dislike ghosts?

"The candles they've got wand'rin' around here, though, are like awfully cute. The, uh, what're they called again? I...er--all I'm comin' up with is 'Lumiosa' though I feel like that's 'casue a 'Leviosa' an' all. Y'know, like Harry Potter? Yeah. ...I'm not ac'chully good with names, whoops." The Pokemon she was referring to was Litwick, for the other author's knowledge.

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He started to understand that she perceived his problem with Ghost Pokemon as merely finding them spooky. Of course they were, they can be pretty rotten. Mt. Pyre, though, was a place he could tolerate well enough. The mystery behind the Red and Blue orbs was also interesting in itself. Still, he'd rather not tell her the real trouble unless she had been interested. And if he even wanted to recount painful memories just for the sake of sounding interesting. Rather, he tried to say a little thing about Pyre. "I did encounter a Chimecho. Charming little things, really. They're certainly better than those spooky little Duskulls and Shuppets."

As she mentioned what she assumed to be Litwick - somehow mangling that into a sort of Potter reference (This author thanks the other for saying the Pokemon's name, as he somehow managed to forget it.) He decided to tell her something both interesting and frightening. Imagine a flashlight under Garci's chin right now as he grinned, telling her a little tidbit of information he heard. "Let me tell you a little tidbit of information I heard. They're Litwicks, by the way, Soleh. You see, in big mansions and such places, presumably haunted by ghosts, Litwick appear and pretend to be guides to people who have been lost. While it seems to be in goodwill, they actually gradually absorb the souls and energy of both people and Pokemon who follow them."

"..And worse off, the energies absorb actually become the fuel for their flames. Litwicks you may have seen could have been retaining some of the souls of their poor, poor followers." He grinned widely, trying to inject fear into Soleh. "..That's what I've heard, at least." Ghost stories were always fun.

[Prince Pony Age]

"Definitely," was all Soleh responded to his bit about Chimechos.

To his second bit, Soleh said, "Ahw yeah, that's it! And oooh, sounds interesting." Here, this author will point out that she'd actually forgotten the name too, and had to look it up, but then thought it would be amusing to play it as Soleh having forgotten the name too.

Soleh listened intently, noticing the wicked grin spread across his face as he told the ghost story. "Brrr, that is creepy! Oh man. ...I c'n totally understand how they'd be followed, though, 'cause they're still really cute, an' well I'm kinda a sucker for ador'ble things, I can't lie."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He nodded as she shivered by the end of his little story. "That is true, they do look rather cute. I would follow them out of fear of not knowing anything else. The worst part is, if that actually happened, I think I would." She mentioned ador'ble things, and internally pumped his fist in the air. YES. He had so many that seemed to fit the subject. "I have to admit, I'm starting to get a little bit nostalgic about Hoenn."

He leaned back further, making gestures as he talked. Mostly it involved hands waving about. His hands had to do SOMETHING interesting, after all. "There was Fortree City, a quaint, refreshing little place, not to mention that old-fashioned crater, Sootopolis." Remembering Sootopolis suddenly brought back another memory. A fearful one, to be true. ".. Hey, do you remember? About those two lunk-headed, not-so-subtle criminal organizations? How they're apparently related to that disastrous sensation? It was one of the scariest days of my life, honest."

He did show signs of being shaken in relation to that day. "A drought, then flooding rains, a drought, then more rains. I had no idea what was going on, but I thought the world was going to end, honestly. I think all of Hoenn was afflicted. I guess you hadn't seen it if you were in Kanto by then, but.."

[Prince Pony Age]

"If'n I didn't have any Pokemon with me, I'd sure as hell follow Litwick in that situation, heh, still bein' a bit afraid a' the dark 'n' all.. So yeah y're not alone in that." She chuckled a bit nervously from that. The dark was basically her only fear though, so at least there was that.

At the next bit, she was a bit confused as to what brought that on, but didn't really say anything to that effect. Instead, she commented, "Yeh, I guess there're some cool things about it, though f'r me the bad outweighted the good." He continued, about Sootopolis and the Teams, and she listened. "I only really visited in Kanto, really. I think I was 'round for that, but I hadn't ac'chully left home by that point, heh. S'yeah, we got some a that, but not a lot. You were ac'chully in Sootopolis, though? Damn. That just--damn, I feel f'r ya."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

Garci nodded. "To be honest, while it does sound a little childish, I can admit a fear for the dark, myself. Especially if one had been alone in the dark. Goodness, that would be even worse. Being uncertain of what lies there, an absolute silence.." He'd been going on and on again. "But, yes. I can at least attest to the fact that I saw them. That whole titanic brawl between those two creatures, yes. It was like a scene out of some sort of apocalyptic horror film." Shuddering silently, he continued. "It even had a climax, with Rayquaza appearing to calm the two. I thought I was going to die that day."

He stumbled on. "..Well, anyway, yes. Still, I don't quite fully understand why you left Hoenn. I mean, I'm glad you did so you'd eventually turn up here, and it must have been awful, to have a sister as bad as you say. But, I just don't see it as good reason for leaving such a nice region." This was the point where he probably should have realized he was going a little too close. A little wouldn't really be able to say enough, because he placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to be further supportive, acting like he'd known her enough to offer that much support.

"Because, well, if she really still acts like that as a Gym Leader, you probably wouldn't have that much to worry about. I'm sure you could do better if you tried, if they actually gave you the attention you said they never had." Realizing he had been overstepping his bounds too late, he immediately drew his hand backwards. "...yes, right then." He's not sure if he really regrets doing it, though. Probably not.

[Prince Pony Age]

At his first bit, she mostly just nodded in agreement. Brrr. At least she was basically never without her Pokeballs. Even now, while most of them were back in her room, she kept her smallified Pokeball that contained Bonbon with her, wrapped in her towel. As for the Legends, "Oh my word that does sound pants-shittingly scary. ...Also really fuckin' cool since, y'know, you're alive 'n' all." A brief moment of silence, and he went back to his original point.

"Well, you don't quite know the whole situation.." She trailed off, and he continued. After he finished, she answered, "Well, I guess it make sense you wouldn't get it at all, bein' an only child and stuff. You don't even get normal sibling rivalry, eh? But see, it's worse'n that. It--I--I was basically treated like a mistake. Hell, that was Flan's fav'rrite insult. Once my sis ac'chully became leader and known and stuff, it's like--if I ever said anythin' negative 'bout her, there was always someone to rush to her defense, right? And when I didn't bring'er up, someone else often did." The author would like to note, here, that Soleh pronounced the 't' in 'often'. "An' everyone always figured if I was her sister, and she was leader instead a me, it had to do with skill, right? Instead a goddamn birth order. Hell, when I was a kid I was basically fuckin' Matilda, y'know like from the one movie? Just minus the psychic powers. Oh, and feeding myself right. I mean, bein' a kid and being technically allowed to eat ice cream f'r brekkist, who wouldn't? Really, that kid was weird, voluntarily eating veggies. That's where I drop my suspension a disbelief, not the psychic powers, 'cause psychic powers could totally happen but there is no kid ever that would eat those veggies, I swear. ...wait, where did this start ag'in? I..kinda forgot."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

Garci stayed intent on listening for the whole rant, even when she started to trail off and talk about the movie Matilda. Yes, in fact, he had seen it, surprisingly enough. She explained how she acted in her lack of support as a 'mistake' child, and quite obviously understood why she is the way she is now. if anything, she would technically and justifiably be able to blame it all on Flannery, something he would understand. Of course, this would probably involve bringing up her weight, and whether or not he minded it at this point was irrelevant - you just don't bring it up in front of a lady. No matter how cute it made her. Shake it off, Garci.

..ANYWAY, he started. "I suppose I can really comprehend it now, then. I can't believe, that, not only after being considered a 'mistake' by your parents, your sister actually ends up treating you in that way to add insult to injury. That's.. awful. That, and everyone would be against any objections you had to her. You couldn't touch her, could you? And she was flaunting the whole time.." He put his hands together, contemplatively. "When you bring up skill over birth, you bring a point I mention earlier. If she's still the neophyte leader that she acted like when I fought her, then you could clearly do better."

In reply to her going off about Matilda, he mustered an awkward cough. "..Yes, that did seem odd, though. I hated to eat my vegetables as a child. ..Only meat for me, really." Bringing up his diet probably wasn't a good point to make. "I guess it was metabolism or something, but anyway.." He had no idea whether or not what he just said would have no effect at all or if it would open Pandora's Box on him. "Anyway, you were saying something about how you believed they thought Flannery was superior in skill and not birth order, or something to that effect."

[Prince Pony Age]

"Right, right, that's it. Yeah. Wow, I never really thought about it all at once like that, t'be honest. But yeah it was pretty horrible, I kept bein' reminded how she was the better sister even when I left to train the Pokemon that my nicer grandpa got f'r me. Hell, I was training so I could be better than her. ...And still managed to lose when I challenged her, heh. After that, I had a moment of clarity, realizin' that there was noplace 'round Hoenn I could be happy, so I left." She sighed. "'N' yeah, she's not too skilled on the people-end of it I guess, though she's likely fixed that since y'battled her. She's got at least the theory of battlin' down, though, and she knows how to run a gym--which is tougher'n you'd prob'ly think. I don't ac'chully know what all goes int'it, but she does. 'N' it's just..." She signed again, and said, Thanks f'r tryin' though."

She didn't really respond to his response to her Matilda bit, just shrugged.

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He flicked a hand at her, as though denying any lack of self-confidence she showed. This was saying something. "Bah, I think you're wrong. I think you'd be able to prove yourself against her if you met again. Besides, I'm sure a year in Era has at the very least hardened you enough. I suppose it's a logical idea about her changing, though." He decided to drop the subject, and put his hand on her shoulder again. He let her brush it off if she didn't need any physical confirmation, but kept it on as a means of trying to lift her spirits.

"It doesn't matter at this point, though. You're in Era, and you're obviously happier here than there. At least I can speak for one of us in saying that going to Era had been a better move than staying in Hoenn, of course. .. Not that I'm not having a good time here, I just.. miss Hoenn somewhat. There are still some things there that make me want to return, cling to what I had." He went back on focus and crept a little bit closer. "Given how much you've trained, though, how much better of a trainer do you think you are now? Just focus on yourself, and your own skill." He was, of course, curious. Still, with the team he had, and her mentioning that she preferred Fire Pokemon, he probably wouldn't do very well against her if they actually decided to have a friendly battle.

[Prince Pony Age]

Shrugging, Soleh responded, "Eh. Maybe." She didn't really acknowledge the hand on her shoulder, though she did notice it. As such, she didn't remove it, either.

He continued, and was pretty happy for the conversation to shift from her, actually. "Sorry to hear that, though I guess it makes sense, bein' homesick. I 'magine basically anyone who didn't have a horrible time of it would be."

He came even closer, and was basically right next to her, and she still didn't see anything odd or awkward about that. She was always the sort to be touchy-feely with everyone she was close to, giving hugs even to those people who didn't really want them, accidentally making people awkward with her height and generous cleavage, though she wasn't altogether aware of that last bit.

Oh, wait, more encouragement/question time. "I guess I've gotten better, yeah. Not battling much, but a bit here'n there. I've mostly been travelin' and once I got this part-time job in the Capital, but that was boring so I quit. ..The point is, maybe, but unlike her I've not been trainin' most of the time. Don't...really feel the need to, not 'n the same way, anyway."

--- Soleh's Current Team ---

[Victor Von Doomstein]

He shrugged, though understanding what she meant. "I can understand that there really wouldn't be too much a point in training anymore. Now all you really have to do is enjoy yourself here, right? The occasional battle or so would be fun, though. I'll, uh, be honest, I don't really know what I'm going to do here. Aside from traveling, of course, but I just don't know what my calling is here. I don't think I can really do a job, and though I'm fine with money, I don't feel like I have a purpose here."

He decided not to go on and immediately tell her, but rather, ask her if she wished to know herself. "I know I asked your reasons for coming to Era, and even tried to ask you to elaborate on them, but, I don't really want to go on with it and say it if you wouldn't want to listen. So, uh.. Soleh, would you like to hear MY reasoning for coming to the region? It sort of coincides with what little I can really do here, which isn't quite saying too much." The fact that she let him stay practically right next to her without any objections at all gave him a generally agreeable feeling, that he believed that he was actually starting to grow on her in spite of just having met him. Whether it was the reality was up to what she had been thinking. ..And, entirely in part of the puppeteer controlling her strings, but that's another story.

[Prince Pony Age]

Soleh nodded, and added in, "Yeh, I just travel. I don't..really have a purpose either, it seems, but I'll take whatever I c'n get."

He went on to ask, and she chuckled. "Nah, go 'head! I definitely was curious, but I sometimes get all wrapped up in m'self I forget. ..Oh, also I don't want to, like, pry or anythin'. That prob'ly seems less stupid and selfish, huh? Yeah, forget that first part, that's totally not me. ....Point is, I'd like to hear it." She smiled warmly at him, if a bit embarrassed. She really was self-absorbed most some of the time, wasn't she? Heheh...

--- Soleh's Current Team ---